Former presidential hopeful Rick Santorum said he doesn’t think Native American customs have had a large role in U.S. culture.
The former senator from Pennsylvania told the Young America’s Foundation that settlers fleeing religious persecution “birthed a nation from nothing,” dismissing the extent of Native Americans on the country’s culture.
“We came here and created a blank slate. We birthed a nation from nothing. I mean, there was nothing here. I mean, yes, we have Native Americans, but candidly, there isn’t much Native American culture in American culture,” he said in a speech before the conservative group on Friday. “It was born of the people who came here pursuing religious liberty to practice their faith, to live as they ought to live and have the freedom to do so.”
DENVER DONATES 14 BISON TO TRIBAL NATIONS
Santorum went on to say the U.S. principle of religious liberty is “what makes America unique in the world.”
“Those are the two bulwarks of America: faith and freedom,” he continued.
In an email to the Washington Examiner, Santorum said he “had no intention of minimizing or in any way devaluing Native American culture.”
The former presidential candidate’s comments were largely panned by Twitter users, and some called on CNN to remove him from their payroll. Santorum is a commentator for the cable news network.
I’ve finally watched that clip of Rick Santorum and, honestly, I’m impressed how much idiocy and ignorance he crammed into a minute and a half.
I can see why CNN has him on their payroll. That kind of dipshittery isn’t easy to find.
— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) April 26, 2021
The Birth of a Nation by Rick Santorum. https://t.co/wiCRk9tfvw
— Jeet Heer (@HeerJeet) April 26, 2021
Seriously is any one surprised to hear this hot garbage coming from Rick Santorum?!
Nothing was here?! No native American culture in American culture?! America hasn’t changed?!
Ok @CNN … ok! https://t.co/fGjJTf3u1m
— Jaime Harrison, DNC Chair (@harrisonjaime) April 26, 2021
Raise your hand if you agree Rick Santorum should be fired by CNN.
TODAY. ?️
— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) April 26, 2021
Hey CNN do you agree with what your employee Rick Santorum said about Native Americans, or are you going to fire him?
— Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) April 26, 2021
Rick Santorum straight up handwaves the genocide of indigenous people https://t.co/u0ZoLgZR5d
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) April 26, 2021
Rick Santorum should be removed from @CNN #RemoveRick
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) April 26, 2021
Santorum has attracted controversy for some of his statements in the past, particularly those involving race. Last July, the politician-turned-CNN commentator clashed with Bakari Sellers after Sellers said he couldn’t reconcile President George Washington’s greatness with the “inhumanity” that he owned slaves. Santorum then compared the morality of slavery to abortion.
“I have a hard time reconciling people who are allowing people to be killed in the womb, but you know what? I do! And we all do,” Santorum asserted.
The former senator has also earned scorn from within his own party for his occasional criticism of former President Donald Trump. In 2019, Santorum accused Trump of providing “cover” to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on American student Otto Warmbier’s 2017 death, and he said Trump made a “mistake” for not condemning white supremacy during a 2020 presidential debate.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
“He did not answer the question directly, and he should have, and it was wrong. I have no idea why he didn’t. He’s done it before. He’s done it before. But he has condemned white supremacist groups before,” Santorum said last September. “Why he didn’t do it when directly asked that, I have no idea, and it was a mistake.”
A representative for CNN did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.
